MISSION

The Institutional Review Board (IRB) is a university-wide committee formally appointed by President Dennis Holtschneider to review all DePaul-affiliated research activities involving human participants.  The IRB is made up of a diverse group of DePaul faculty and staff with representatives from various colleges and departments, as well as a local community representative.  The IRB was established by DePaul in 2001 and constituted to comply with regulations of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (45 CFR 46).  DePaul has agreed to comply with the federal regulations governing human subjects research and to adhere to the statement of principles contained in the Ethical Principles and Guidelines for the Protection of Human Subjects of Research (The Belmont Report). 

The IRB fulfills one obligation of DePaul’s contract with the federal Office of Human Research Protections to ensure that all human subjects research (whether federally-funded or not) conducted by DePaul faculty, staff, and students complies with the federal regulations (45 CFR 46).  IRB approval affirms the methodological and ethical quality of the research, and it is the primary responsibility of the IRB to review research activities that involve human participants or their data to ensure that:

• The risks to the participant are outweighed by the possible benefits to the participant and/or the importance of the knowledge to be gained or its benefit to society.
• The rights and welfare of each participant will be adequately protected.
• Informed consent is obtained by adequate and appropriate means.
• Long-term research protocols are reviewed at specified intervals.
• The participant is fully aware of his/her rights, benefits, and the nature of the procedures.

FEDERAL WIDE ASSURANCE

In March 1, 2002, DePaul University entered into a contract (called a Federal Wide Assurance) with the federal Office of Human Research Protection (OHRP) assuring that all research (federally funded or not) conducted by DePaul University faculty, staff, and students is in compliance with the code of federal regulations (45 CFR 46). 

DePaul University's FWA is #00000099.

DePaul's Obligations Under Its Federal Wide Assurance